Keeping Intruders at Bay While You’re On Vacation

Each year, there are more than 2.15 million burglaries with the majority of home invasions occurring in the peak vacation months of July and August. Going on vacation can be one of the most relaxing things in the world, but before you depart, here are a few  ideas to help keep intruders at bay while you’re on vacation.

Keep Your Home Well Lit – Place light timers inside your house to light up your house when it is dark out. Burglars tend to not flock to homes that are well lit and where they will be visible.

Trustworthy Neighbor- Ask a trustworthy neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your house while you’re away. Be sure to tell them if you are expecting any visitors over the course of your trip so that they can be aware.

Stop Delivery of Your Newspapers or Mail – Either put a hold on your mail and newspaper service, or have a neighbor collect them for you daily. A build up of mail or newspapers is a good indicator to burglars that you are on vacation. Another way to hide your mail is by getting a larger sized locked mailbox. This will ensure that your mail is not visible intruders.

Examine Your House Before You Leave- Make a checklist of all possible entrance paths for intruders and ensure that they are well locked and secured.

Hide All Valuables – Be sure to hide all of your valuables so that they are not visible from the windows. This way, intruders won’t have more of a reason to break in.

Security System – Homes without a monitored security alarm system are three times more likely to be burglarized or robbed than those with a monitored home security system. Nightwatch Protection is now offering a FREE home security system that will help keep your home protected even when you’re not on vacation.

Window Decals – Security system decals located on your front door is a great way to help scare off burglars.

Cameras – Weather it is a real camera, or a fake camera, if intruders think they will get caught, they will be less likely to break in.

Home Telephone – Don’t ever leave a voice mail message saying “We’re not home right now” or “We’re on vacation and won’t be back for a week.” This assures intruders that you won’t be home. Also, turn the ringer down on your house phone, or change it to 1 ring. If they can hear that no one is answering the phone, they will assume you are not home.

By following these helpful hints, you are on your way to a better protected home. These tips will help keep your stress levels down, so that you can fully enjoy your vacation.

Don’t Let Frozen Pipes Flood Your Home

While most of the country has experienced harsh snow storms and wintry conditions this season, the risk of cold winter weather does not end there. Freezing temperatures often cause water pipes to freeze and burst, causing major damage to homeowner’s property and valued possessions.

Identify the places in your home where water pipes run along the exterior walls, getting more exposure to cold weather. In many homes, these pipes are typically located in the basement, attic, or garage. The easiest way to keep these pipes from freezing is to keep water flowing through the pipes. Pipes that have stagnant water freeze more easily and are at greater risk of bursting. If your home loses heat or power for a long period of time, as many homes do during winter blizzards, it is especially important to know how to drain your home’s water supply in order to reduce the chance of the water freezing.

Follow local weather advisories closely and monitor your home’s water supply during extreme conditions. If you are going away on vacation this winter, be sure to ask a trusted neighbor or friend to check on your home. Ask them to try running the water and to inspect areas like the basement (or anywhere else water pipes are located) to make sure the pipes have not frozen, or even worse, burst.

The easiest way to reduce the risk of burst pipes causing severe damage to your home is to first install a home security system with flood monitoring capabilities. With flood detection monitoring, your home alarm will alert a monitoring center if it detects rising water in your home, which could be caused by broken pipes, flooding, etc. Whether you are home or not, local authorities will be alerted immediately if there is flooding in your home. Installing a flood monitoring system could save you from the annoyance of a burst pipe and the chance of severe property damage to your home.